Heart Of Darkness
by Vincent Kinneas
Summary: A dark figure with an obsession for Goku plots her rise to power, as the inhabitants of a small village mysteriously disappear... Chapter 5 Now up! The horror grows...
1. Beginnings

Disclaimer: Any character, idea, plotline, etc. that's been seen before isn't mine. Anything new, however, is MINE and copying it is only authorised by asking me first. Anyway, after the obligatory message, on with the show! 

Author's Notes: This is my first DBZ fanfic, so feel free to offer any hints or suggestions, as long as they're constructive. Flames are NOT wanted. As for timeline, this takes place two years after the Trunks saga. Any other questions, feel free to e-mail me. Now, wihout any further ado, here's the story. 

**Heart of Darkness **

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**CHAPTER 1: BEGINNINGS**

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Darkness. It was all she had known for time without end. It was her whole world, her everything. And she hated it. She loathed the never-ending blackness. There was a time, so long ago, when she had flitted freely through the daylight, dancing through sun-filled meadows, laughing at the joy of life... 

Then the stranger had come to her. Since that day, the rays of warmth from Earth's nearest star had never again caressed her body, and she had been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the night. 

One day, however, as she hid in the shadows, she sensed him. His strength was admirable, especially for one his age. Drawn to his strength, she travelled to him, and then spent the next few years observing him. It turned out he was not of this planet. He was a being known as a Sayian. His coming heralded a new age for the Earth, as others with this great strength appeared, some good, some evil. The boy, however, outshone them all in terms of brute force. He fought on, against ever-increasing odds, gaining new allies along the way. At one point, he destroyed an entire army single-handedly. Another time, he stopped the rampage of a huge green alien intent on taking over the planet. Then, as the years passed, he fell in love with a human and married her. They had a son together, and he had the potential to be mightier than his father. 

But then it happened. Another Sayian arrived. This one was his brother, Raditz. And he and Raditz perished in combat, killed by the Namek. She screamed that day. He was gone, the only one to ever provide her with a chance of escape from her prison of eternal night, the one known as Goku. 

She cried with joy when, a year later, he returned, many times more powerful than before. Again, he won his battle, this time aided by his son. A while later, he and all the surviving Z Warriors left the planet to face the prince of the universe, Frieza. She sensed him still. Their foe was strong beyond belief, yet they fought valiantly. And, when it seemed that there was no hope, something changed. The prince of the universe killed one of Goku's friends. Goku's rage propelled him to new heights, and he was transformed. He beat Frieza, although he barely escaped the exploding planet. In the chaos that ensued, she could no longer sense him. But she knew he was alive. 

Some time later (she knew not how long) Frieza returned, much stronger than he had been previously, and he brought his father with him. With Frieza threatening to destroy the planet, she feared for her own existence for the first time since the stranger had come to her. Nonetheless, Frieza and his father were defeated by a mere boy, who had undergone the same transformation as Goku. As she watched this new development with interest, she sensed it. He had returned, and was now the most powerful warrior in creation. It was time to implement her plan. 

"Yessss," she hissed. 

**************************** 

Piccolo gasped as his opponent's fist slammed into his stomach, winding him. He hadn't been expecting so much trouble winning. _I've gotta remember not to underestimate him,_ he thought, just as his foe appeared above him and tried to smash him into the ground. Piccolo deftly spun around, grabbed his fists, pulled his adversary towards him and head butted him squarely on the bridge of the nose. While his foe struggled to regain his senses from that vicious attack, Piccolo roared and threw a ki ball at him. It caught him off guard and he was hurtled Earthward from the force of it, slamming into the ground. He tried to get up, but he just didn't have the strength. The fight was over. 

"Unlucky, Gohan," called Goku from a nearby hilltop, where he had been overseeing his son's defeat. Truth be told, Gohan _had_ been unlucky. The only thing that had stopped him from winning the training bout was Piccolo's speed. Even then it had been a close thing. Gohan's power level and skill had risen dramatically in the last two years, so he was nearly a match for Piccolo now. _He still holds back too much, though,_ thought Goku. Gohan always tried not to hurt either Goku or Piccolo when they were training, despite being told repeatedly. _He'll never ascend to a Super Sayian at this rate. Oh well_. He sighed. 

It had been two years since Goku had returned to Earth, two years since the death of Frieza, two years since Trunks had issued his warning. _Two evil androids will appear and destroy civilisation, killing all the Z warriors_, he had said. However, Goku was beginning to have his doubts. Trunks had also said that Goku himself would be killed by a heart virus two years before the androids appeared, and had given him the antidote for it. This much was untrue, as Goku had shown no signs of illness. Maybe Trunks had been wrong... 

But they couldn't afford to take that chance. It was their responsibility to protect the planet, and they would not allow anything to happen to it. So they trained. The training was so intense they had had no time to visit any of their friends, who were training elsewhere. Oh, sure, They had kept in touch, over the phone and via the post. Gohan had even received a birthday present sent from Krillin. The fact that it had been a toy car didn't matter; Krillin was useless at picking gifts. It was the thought that had counted. 

"I wonder if we'll see the rest of the guys before the androids arrive," mused Goku to himself. "Ah, well, time to go home for dinner." A grin appeared on his face. 

By the time he flew over to the battlefield, Gohan had regained enough strength to stand up. "Sorry, dad," he apologised, "I still need more training." 

"Ah, don't worry about it son. Remember, Piccolo's been training too, so it's only natural that he's stronger than you. Isn't that right Piccolo? Piccolo?" 

They turned around. Piccolo seemed to be concentrating. After a few seconds, he looked at them. "I just got a message from Kami. Round up the guys. We got trouble." 


	2. Reunion

Disclaimer: Any character, idea, plotline, etc. that's been seen before isn't mine. Anything new, however, is MINE and copying it is only authorised by asking me first. Anyway, after the obligatory message, on with the show! 

**CHAPTER 2: REUNION**

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"_KAA-MEE-HAA-MEE-HAA_!" The energy formed in Krillin's hands, then blasted out with a force that could level mountains. As it was, it discharged harmlessly into the ocean. Well, it _did_ cause a tidal wave about 80 feet high, but that didn't do much damage as it washed over Kame house. All that happened was that Master Roshi's "artistic" magazine got soaked and fell apart. "Oops," said Krillin sheepishly. 

"KRILLIN! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" roared Master Roshi. Luckily, the phone rang at that precise moment, and Krillin darted in to get it, sparing him from Roshi's wrath. 

"Hello?" 

"Krillin, is that you?" 

"Gohan! Long time no see, bro! How's things? Did ya get that car I sent you?" 

"Yeah, thanks. It was... great. Look, something's up. Head to Kami's Lookout ASAP." 

"Kami's Lookout? What's happening? Something big?" 

"We don't have all the details yet. Just head there, OK?" 

"All right. I'll see you soon. Bye." Krillin hung up, concerned. His friend had been unusually abrupt. Normally, Gohan was impossible to get off the phone. It must be important. He stepped outside . "I gotta go, Master Roshi. Trouble's coming. See ya later." With that, he blasted off. 

"You can't get away that easily Krillin! Come back here! I SAID COME BACK HERE!" he yelled at Krillin's rapidly shrinking back. 

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Landing at Kami's Lookout, Krillin looked around. He couldn't see anyone waiting for him. He stood still for a moment, trying to sense if anyone was there. Nothing. Either there was no-one about, or they just hadn't powered up. Then he heard a noise coming from the dining area. Stealthily, he made his way down the corridor and peered round the corner... only to see Goku stuffing his face. 

"Hey, Goku!" he said, a smile on his face. 

"Krillin! Great to see you, buddy!". Goku put down the burger he was eating (his fifth) and went over to talk to his friend. "Glad ya could make it. Great new haircut, by the way." 

"Yeah, very funny," said Krillin, who had been bald as long as Goku had known him. So what's all the commotion about?" 

"Well, just follow me. The rest of the gang's here, so we'll explain to everyone at once." 

"Fair enough," said Krillin and followed Goku through to the main platform where he had touched down only a couple of minutes ago. Only it wasn't so deserted anymore. Standing in the middle were Kami and Mr. Popo. They looked like street entertainers, with a crowd hanging on their every word. The only difference was that this crowd were just as strange as the entertainers, if not stranger. Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Shaltsu and, of course, Vegeta. The Z Warriors. 

_They weren't there earlier,_ thought Krillin. _I swear, they do that to irritate me._ He and Goku took their place among the others. 

"Now that we are all present, I shall explain why I summoned you," came the old but firm voice of Kami. 

"Hurry up, you're interrupting my training," snapped Vegeta, the deposed Sayian prince. 

"Shut up Vegeta," growled Piccolo, Kami's other half, "this is important. Who knows, you might get to fight something if you're a good boy. Or are you still a bad man?" 

"Never mention that shirt again!" he yelled. "That was the fault of that stupid green-haired woman!" 

"Her name is Bulma," said Yamcha with a cold fury. "You should at least remember that after what you did!" 

"Oh, and here's her knight in shining armour," smirked Vegeta. "Funny, she never mentioned you when we..." 

"Shut your mouth or I'll do it for you!" 

"Is that a challenge?". Gohan noted with dismay that they were powering up. 

"Bring it on, you arrogant bast-" 

"ENOUGH!" roared Kami. Everyone jumped; they'd never heard Kami raise his voice before. "I didn't summon you here for a petty school yard brawl, so be quiet!". Yamcha and Vegeta powered down, but Yamcha still looked ready to rip his throat out. Reluctantly, he stopped glaring and turned to Kami. 

"That's better," said Kami, "Now, we don't have time to waste, so I'm going to tell you what's happening and none of you will interrupt. Leave your questions until I am finished. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Now listen carefully. 50 miles north of Goku's house there's a small town called Melastols. About three weeks ago, it's population was about 2300. Now, it's about 570. The rest of the townsfolk have died, or simply vanished. There is something strange going on. I can also sense a great evil at work, but I cannot sense a power level attached to it. This means that it is either a disembodied consciousness, or a being which can mask it's power level completely. Either way, I'm worried. I want all of you to go in and find out the situation. Mask your power levels unless necessary and pose as civilians. Just gather information right now. Act later. Okay?" 

"This is the Guardian of this pathetic mudball?" sneered Vegeta, "'Hide, act meek, try not to upset the little humans?' Ha!" 

"Watch it, Vegeta!" warned Piccolo. 

"You losers can play Little Miss Detective all you want. I'm going to find whatever's out there and destroy it!". And with that, he blasted off. 

"That total sonuvabitch!" said Yamcha, enraged. 

"Forget him," said Piccolo, with a hint of annoyance. "He would just have got in the way anyway." 

"Right," agreed Goku. "Now let's head to my place to pick up some normal clothes, then on to Melastols!". Everyone gave their approval. 

Kami spoke up, just as they were about to leave. "Please hurry. The evil is growing." 


	3. Undercover

Disclaimer: Any character, idea, plotline, etc. that's been seen before isn't mine. Anything new, however, is MINE and copying it is only authorised by asking me first. Anyway, after the obligatory message, on with the show! 

**CHAPTER 3: UNDERCOVER**

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****Her plan had worked! He was coming! She could barely contain her anticipation. _Soon,_ she thought, _just wait for nightfall. Then, he is mine!_ She threw back her head and laughed, a sound that caused all animals in earshot to fly, run, scamper or slither away as fast as they could. Animals can sense evil. 

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No-one messed with Jack Marshall. He was the most vicious thug within twenty miles of Melastols. He didn't have to mug people anymore; when they saw him coming they handed over their wallets. Even with all the strange goings on in the area, he was more feared than anyone, or anything, else. He was currently sitting in the only pub in town, The Crossed Swords, where the barman knew better than to ask him and his 'associates' to pay for anything. The whole gang, five in total, were sitting at the bar having a tequila drinking contest (Jack was ahead by a shot, with his best mate, Vincent, a close second) when a short bald guy in black jeans and a red short sleeved shirt walked in, and sat next to them. 

"Could I have a grape soda, please?" said the newcomer to the barman. The barman went white, wondering what 'Black Jack' would do to a wimp who bought soft drinks in a pub, but got him the drink anyway, and suddenly became very interested in the glass he was cleaning. The man thanked the barman, paid the money and proceeded to sip gently from the glass. Marshall caught Vincent's eyes and smiled. _Watch this,_ was the unspoken message. 

"Hey runt!" he sneered, "Why not order a real drink? Or does your mummy not like it?" This drew laughter from the rest of the gang. But the bald man just ignored him, angering Jack. 

"Hey!" he shouted, "I'm talking to you, ya little AUGGH!" The strange sound was due to the hand wrapped around his throat all of a sudden. Without looking up, the 'wimp' lifted Marshall, who was a good two hundred pounds, clean off the floor and tossed him against the far wall, where he collapsed in an unconscious heap. 

Krillin raised his head and glowered at Marshall's gang. "Anyone else wanna try that? No? Good. In that case you can spill everything you know about the disappearances." And Krillin got all the information he needed. 

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The few people who were on Berry Boulevard (Melastol's main shopping street) had gathered to watch the new street entertainer in town; a child mime, by the name of Shaltsu. He was enjoying a good lot of praise and applause. Tien stood against a nearby wall, a hat covering his third eye, and smirked. With everyone watching Shaltsu, no-one noticed Yamcha and Piccolo breaking into the deserted police station across the street. Apparently, the police had left town a few days ago, getting out while they still could. This left the station empty for the Namek and his companion to search their records for any possible clues. _So far, so good,_ thought Tien. _I wonder how the others are getting on..._

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"Dad, what are we doing here while the others are looking for clues?" came Gohan's irritated voice. 

"Gohan, we could find out some very valuable information here," came his father's reply, as he walked up to the pub entrance. 

"Krillin's already checking this place out! You're just here for the bar lunch special, aren't you?" 

"No," came his father's guilty reply. "Anyway let's see how krillin's getting onwhatthehellhappenedhere?!" exclaimed Goku as he saw the remains of the bar. 

"Hey, guys," said Krillin, cheerfully, "just had a slight bit of trouble with the information gathering. A guy decided he didn't wanna be co-operative. That's him over there," said Krillin as he pointed at a slumped figure on the ground. It was Marshall, but Goku and Gohan had no way of knowing that. 

"So, what did you find out, krillin? asked Goku. 

"That this sorry bunch are nastier than I thought," replied Krillin with disgust. "They've been robbing the bodies of some of the dead villagers." 

"Tha-that's just sick!" exclaimed Gohan in disbelief. 

"Yeah, that it is, bro. But, it does mean they know where most of the dead bodies have been turning up." 

"Well, where's that then?" 

"No need to be impatient Goku, I was just getting to that. The forest just outside town. Near the ruined mansion." 

"Well, let's head there then," said Goku. 

"But dad, we have to meet up with the others in half an hour back at the guest house" said Gohan, irritated. 

"Oh yeah, forgot about that. Sound good to you Krillin?" 

"Sounds fine. Let's go!" The trio turned and exited the bar, leaving a lot of mess, a few broken tables and chairs, and a slowly recovering thug in the corner. The rest of the gang had ran as soon as Krillin had finished questioning them. 

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Later that evening, the fighters sat around in the living room of the guest house they had rented out, and shared the day's findings. After Krillin had said his piece, Yamcha took the floor. 

"Piccolo and I found out the same as Krillin about the corpse locations. But we also found out that all the bodies the police recovered disappeared from the morgue before they could be autopsied." 

"Geez, this is creepy," shivered Shaltsu. 

"I agree," added Gohan, "It's like something out of a horror movie." 

"It gets creepier," Piccolo said as he took over from Yamcha, "There have been numerous reports of strange noises and lights at the ruined mansion over the last few weeks. The police sent a couple of officers to investigate. Their bodies were found the next morning. That's when the rest of the police ran off." 

"Pretty scary stuff," said Tien, "No wonder the survivors are moving out." 

"The question is, what do we do about it?" asked Krillin. Everyone turned to Goku. 

"I say we go there tonight and scope out the mansion and the surrounding woods. No-one go alone. And keep a look out for Vegeta, OK? We haven't seen him since we got here, so he could be lurking anywhere. The last thing we need is him trying to blow up the town trying to find something to fight." 

"Then why are we still sitting here?" asked Piccolo, "Let's go!" 

They all filed out of the room, Tien last. He looked out of the window before he left. It would be sunset in about half an hour. 

Author's notes: So, whaddaya think so far, huh? Any reviews are appreciated, people. Next time: Nightfall! C ya! 

Wolfy 


	4. Nightfall

Disclaimer: Any character, idea, plotline, etc. that's been seen before isn't mine. Anything new, however, is MINE and copying it is only authorised by asking me first. Anyway, after the obligatory message, on with the show! 

Author's notes: A quick thanks to Chibi Mirai Gogeta, who's reviewed twice so far. Thanks! Thanks also to everyone else who's reviewed so far, and I'd just like to say, keep reading! The story's just getting interesting! Anyway, here's Chapter 4. 

**CHAPTER 4: NIGHTFALL**

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****Philip ran. The creature was gaining on him. He ploughed through the woods, screaming for help. He could hear it right behind him, crashing through the low-hanging branches, it's every motion intent on catching Philip, knocking him to the ground and then... 

_No, don't think like that _thought Philip, _Nearly at the road now, be safe at the road, there'll be people at the road, I'll be safe at the-_

Suddenly, something swooped in from beside him, knocking him off his feet, pinning him to the ground. He struggled, but to no avail. _This is it, _he thought, _Goodbye, life!_

"Now," the thing hissed, "With this deed, I begin the final act. I will be free!" Then it lunged. 

The screams echoed throughout the forest. 

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Vegeta's head snapped up. The scream grabbed his attention. He had been waiting for something to happen. _I knew I'd find something if I stayed here long enough. _He was sitting on top of a hill overlooking town. The scream hadn't been the only thing he'd noticed, however. His keen senses picked up the draining of power, as if, as if... 

_As if something was ingesting the victim's energy, _he thought. This was strange. _That is not my concern. I am just here for the challenge. If the opponent is strong enough, I may finally ascend to my destiny; to be a Super Sayian! _With that thought, he leapt to his feet and began to run towards the scream, not flying to keep his power level suppressed. 

_Whatever is out there, I will defeat it. They will know the wrath of a Sayian Warrior!_

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Yamcha and Piccolo arrived on the scene about thirty seconds after the scream. They had been closest to the attack when it happened. It had been in the west, where they had been sent to patrol. The rest of the group were scattered around the forest, Tien and Shaltsu in the south, Gohan, Krillin and Goku in the east. They were all working their way north, towards the mansion. 

"Geez, what happened to this guy?" exclaimed Yamcha. The mortal remains of Philip Henry were chalk-white, a look of stark terror on his face. The cause of death was easily seen; some sort of animal had sunk it's teeth into his neck, tearing a hole in it. Piccolo took a look around and frowned. 

"His throat was totally ripped out, but there's no blood anywhere. Judging by the size of the bite marks, it was a large animal, but there's no broken branches or bushes anywhere around." 

"This is just plain strange. I say we wait for the others. Maybe one of them will have an explanation." 

"Agreed." 

"Bet it isn't Goku, though. He might be the strongest of the bunch, but he ain't the brightest." 

"Agreed" 

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The barman of The Crossed Swords had finished cleaning up from the brawl (_slaughter, more like it, _he thought) and now the evening clientele had arrived. This mainly consisted of old Seamus McGaskill and his friends. Seamus was seventy-three, and loved to sit around and complain that things weren't like this in his day. 

"Aye, these disappearances are a worrying business, to be sure. Just last week the lad who tends my garden vanished. Haven't seen hide nor hare of him since. And I'll tell you, it's coming from that mansion, the strangeness. An evil place it be. More murders and suicides there than anywhere else in a hundred mile radius. And more. There be ghosts and spectres at that place." 

"Right, Seamus, I think you've had enough," said the barman as he gently lifted Seamus from his seat and escorted him to the door. 

"It's all true, I tell ya," Seamus insisted even as he was nudged out the door, "The place is evil. Look!" The barman turned the way that Seamus pointed and gaped. 

Light blared from every window of the mansion, and shadows flitted back and forth through the glare. It looked like a portal into hell. 

"God help anyone near there," whispered the barman. 

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"Whoa," came the informed voice of Goku, "This guy needs to take his vitamins!" 

"He's dead, Goku," came Piccolo's irritated tone. 

"Oh. Well, vitamins probably won't work. Gohan, turn away. Your mother would kill me if I let you see a dead body." 

"It's okay, dad, I've seen horror films before." 

"I thought your mother told you 'not to watch that trash'" mimed Goku in a high-pitched voice. 

"Ah, what she don't know won't hurt her, dad." 

"Ahem," coughed Tien, "if we could get back to the point..." 

"Sorry," chorused the father and son duo. 

"So you just found him like this?" asked Shaltsu. 

"Yeah. He was dead when we got here," answered Piccolo. 

"Any idea what happened?" 

"Well, there was bite marks on his neck. We think a wild animal got him." 

"Where?" asked Tien, "There's no marks there." And Tien was right. The body looked unmarked. 

"What?" spluttered Yamcha, "But his throat - it was-" 

"Guys!" cried Goku. "Look!" He pointed towards the mansion. Everyone turned away from the corpse to see what Goku had seen. And they were amazed. They noticed everything that Seamus and the barman had seen, but with their heightened eyesight and closer proximity they made out more. The lights were candles, hundreds of them on every windowsill, and the shadows... 

"Humans," whispered Krillin, "But I can't sense them." 

"None of us can," growled Piccolo, "Just what the hell is going on he-". A sharp hiss behind them made them all whirl around. The sight that confronted them was horrifying. 

Philip Henry was on his feet, crouched in an animalistic stance. His mouth was pulled back in a terrible grin, two sharp fangs protruding, one at each side. His eyes, once mirrors of the soul, now blazed bright red with unholy fire. His skin was bright white, in stark contrast to his surroundings. His fingernails had lengthened and become claw-like. 

"B-b-but you're dead!" stammered Gohan. 

"No," came the snarled reply, "I am beyond death. I have transcended the paltry existence that humans are content with and have evolved. I am the eternal, the undead, nosferatu." 

"No," murmured Krillin in disbelief. 

"Krillin! Do you know what he is?" demanded Goku. 

"Can't you guys see for yourselves?" 

"Tell us, Krillin!" 

"He's a-a-a-" 

"A vampire," whispered Gohan. 


	5. Revelations

Disclaimer: Any character, idea, plotline, etc. that's been seen before isn't mine. Anything new, however, is MINE and copying it is only authorised by asking me first. Anyway, after the obligatory message, on with the show! 

**CHAPTER 5: Revelations**

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****"You are correct, little one," sneered the creature, "I am indeed a vampire. And I have a message for all of you." 

"Message? For us? Who told you we were coming?" asked a baffled Yamcha. 

"Cretins. The Great One sensed you long before your arrival. It is She who will destroy you all, and rule over this planet when you are gone. And it is She who passes the message on." 

"Tell us then, what 'The Great One' wants us to know," mocked Piccolo. 

"Do not underestimate her, Namek scum!". 

"Wha- how did you know what I am?" came Piccolo's shocked response. 

"Silence! The Great one knows all of you. And it is she who bid me to tell you-" 

"GALLIC GUN!" came a roar from behind Henry. He spun around just in time to have a purple blast catch him full in the chest, as Vegeta's most powerful attack smashed him off his feet, knocking him halfway through the forest. The Sayian warrior had listened to the conversation and did not like what he heard. Nobody was going to rule a planet he currently occupied. So he had decided to give a message to 'The Great One', whoever she may be. The complete obliteration of her messenger seemed sufficient. Vegeta finished his blast, rose up from one knee and smirked. What a weakling this creature was! He wasn't even approaching his maximum power level, and he had finished it off. Then his jaw dropped in disbelief. He saw the vampire rise up without a scratch on it! 

"You will regret that, Sayian!" hissed Philip. Then he turned tail and ran. 

"After him!" cried Goku. The other Z Fighters, who had watched the display with shock, blasted off in pursuit. Goku hung back for a second. 

"Was that just a warning shot, or did you actually try to hurt it, Vegeta?" 

"That should have annihilated him!" 

"In that case, we're in trouble. Next time, don't hold back any. That thing was probably as strong as you. Which means the leader will be a lot stronger." with that, Goku darted after the others. 

_No-one is stronger than me!_ fumed Vegeta. _This 'Great One' will fall at my feet and beg for mercy! Then, Kakarot, you're next! _With that last thought, Vegeta shot into the air. Rather than chase the thing, he would watch it from above, and it would lead him right to it's lair. But what he saw at the other end of the forest left even the mighty Vegeta thunderstruck. 

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Philip crashed through the trees, not bothering to avoid them. He was strong enough to snap the trunks like paper, clearing a path for his escape, leading the warriors on to their doom. A ki ball flew at him, fired by Yamcha. He jumped it with ease, and it only served to clear a path for him. 

"Damn!" shouted Yamcha. "He's fast!" The chase led onwards at horrendous speeds. The Z Warriors were still trying to mask their strength, so the enemy wouldn't know their full power until it was too late. This slowed them down considerably; at full speed, they could zip through this forest in a fraction of a second. The uprooted trees Henry left in his wake also slowed them down a lot. _If we can get on to open ground,_ thought Gohan,_ we've got him! _As if in answer to Gohan's thoughts, they spied a clearing just ahead of them. It was the grounds of the mansion. Philip burst out through the last of the trees, on to the open grass. His pursuers burst out a few seconds later, Gohan at the front. They blasted forward, ready to catch him - and then they came to a screeching stop. Goku and Vegeta landed next to them. They all stood in shocked silence for a moment as they processed the horrific scene around them. 

Hundreds of mutilated carcasses lay impaled on thirty foot spikes jutting out of the ground around the mansion. The grass below was dark crimson. Limbs, heads and entrails were strewn about the ground. But the most terrifying part was the hundreds of living corpses floating in mid-air, red eyes cutting a swathe through the darkness, lips pulled back in grotesque sneers. The missing townspeople, transformed into unholy demons. 

"This... this is awful," moaned Tien. 

"Innocent people... turned into those... those monsters!" cried Krillin, "No!" 

"This stops here. Now." Goku's spoke in a low voice barely able to contain his fury. Instead he channeled it, using his rage to fuel his strength. Then, without a word, they all clenched their muscles and began powering up. 

It started slowly at first, a few specks of dust or loose grass blades, floating slowly upwards. The vampire's sneers turned to frowns. What was happening, they wondered. The Fighters then began to growl as a faint white light emanated from their bodies, growing in intensity. The growls became louder and louder, until they were full-blown roars. Rocks flew up, trees uprooted, the corpses on their spikes headed high into the sky. The lights from the warriors bodies were like miniature supernovas as their muscles expanded, their strength increasing exponentially. Suddenly, the light around each of them burst into an aura, surounding them and illuminating their muscular frames. They had reached full power. All except Goku. As he roared, his hair began to lift aswell, standing straight up in long spikes. Then, with a final scream of fury, his aura exploded into a golden field, his hair and eyebrows becomng a bright blonde at the same time. He had metamorphosed into one of the legendary warriors of his people; a Super Sayian, unparalleled in strength throughout the universe. 

The vampires started to drift backwards slowly, unsure of this new development. The Great One had not informed them of the sheer strength of the Scum that were here to challenge their superiority. Philip Henry stopped retreating and snarled. He had stood up to the one known as Vegeta's most powerful attack without harm. Surely he couldn't be that much stronger than before? 

"This time," it hissed, "I will finish you!". That said, it launched itself at Vegeta. The Sayian prince merely glared at the oncoming monster, making no attempt even to block. Just as Philip neared to within the distance where it could rip his guts out, Vegeta's hand sliced up in a powerful chop that was too fast for the vampire to even see, let alone dodge. The blow slashed right through it's neck, decapitating it in an instant. The body exploded in a cloud of dust. 

Vegeta's gaze moved slowly upwards to encompass the now intimidated ranks of the undead. They snarled and bared their claws, preparing to fight. Goku eyed them with anger and contempt. Then he uttered a single word; 

"ATTACK!" 

And as one, the assembled Z Fighters blasted into the throng of creatures. The battle had begun. 

Author's Notes: In answer toTenchi's question, Shaltsu was just how I spelt Chiaotzu (Is that the right spelling?) coz I figured it would be easier. And in this chapter, I don't know if Gallic gun is how yu spell it, but it's the move he does that fires a purple beam when he's down on one knee. Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers. C ya again soon! Next: Battle! 


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